When the Mets line up along the third base line for the pre-game introductions at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday night, six players will be doing so for the first time. Three more (Jacob deGrom, Wilmer Flores, and Logan Verrett) will make their second appearances on an initial roster.

Among those who made the Opening Day roster for the first time is Michael Conforto. If you looked at his statistics from his first taste of major league action in 2015, you would never guess that he began that season in A ball. In just 174 at-bats, Conforto hit nine home runs, while driving in 26 and putting up an OPS of .841, which would have been 12th best in the National League had he qualified. At just 23 years old, Conforto will play the entire 2016 season younger than the average age in Double-A.

Should Conforto stretch those numbers over a full season in 2016, the results are sure to be beneficial to the team. His placement in the lineup will be crucial, though. Although he may prove to reach base at a better clip than say, David Wright, slotting Conforto in at number six or seven allows Terry Collins to stretch out the order, ensuring Yoenis Cespedes and Lucas Duda are driven in when they reach base.

Noah Syndergaard didn’t see the results that everyone expected in 2014, which led to him spending the entire season in Triple-A. He put all of those concerns to rest in 2015, making five dominant starts in Las Vegas before quickly establishing himself as one of the best young pitchers in the game. Syndergaard’s 166 strikeouts last season led all rookie pitchers, and finished at number 22 among all National League players.

It’s rare that a contending team calls on pitchers with limited major league experience to spearhead their rotation, but that’s exactly what the Mets will do in 2016. Syndergaard, 23, is a major part of that plan. Keeping him healthy all season will be a necessity, while the offense must consistently provide adequate run support to keep him in games. Should both occur, Syndergaard is in for a potentially historic season.

While Conforto and Syndergaard might see the most time on the field, they certainly aren’t the only young players poised to make a huge contribution to the team in 2016. Some say that Steven Matz could end up as the most successful out of all of the Mets’ starters, and his performance a year ago certainly didn’t make them look bad. In 50.1 innings between the regular season and the playoffs, the southpaw struck out nearly a batter per inning while finishing with a 2.69 ERA. Matz will need to be sharp in as many starts as possible, in order to keep opposing lineups on their toes when they reach the back end of the rotation.

Kevin Plawecki may have nearly as much potential as Travis d’Arnaud, but d’Arnaud will remain the starter because of his experience and production at the major league level. Still, Plawecki will provide a valuable role as the backup catcher from the get go. He was also a batterymate of Syndergaard, Matz, and deGrom in the minor leagues, so creating a trustworthy relationship with the pitchers won’t be needed, as it is already in place.

Hansel Robles may not have been a top prospect coming into 2015, but his contribution after making his debut in late April was crucial all year. He had two scoreless appearance streaks of four, and limited batters to a .190 average. Eric Campbell was part of the “dark days” lineup in May and June, but his bat could be useful off the bench. Additionally, Campbell will be important on defense, with the ability to slide in at first base or third base if need be.

Who will be the rookies that make an impact in 2016? There are a few. LHP Josh Smoker and RHP Paul Sewald excelled in Binghamton’s bullpen last year, and are two good names to keep an eye out for. They’ll both start in Las Vegas, and Smoker is looking to prove that he was worth a first round pick, albeit by the Nationals, in 2007. Matt Reynolds put up disappointing numbers in 2015, but now that fellow shortstop Gavin Cecchini is joining him in Triple-A, he knows he has to start producing now. If he does, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him in Queens if immediate middle infield help is needed.

The youth movement has already begun, and it is clearly in full force. Fear not, the future is now.